To the Point

To the Point

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, caused by the April explosion of British Petroleum's Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that killed 11 crew members, has poured about 100 million gallons of oil into the water and caused significant damage to ecology and industry. It is already considered the largest offshore spill in U.S. history and may be among the largest spills in the world. It may also be among the worst industrial disasters in modern history. "At this point we're just going to be estimating because it is at a scale and dimension that we just haven't seen before," says environmental historian Brian Black, a professor of history and environmental studies at Penn State Altoona.

Mark Dyreson, associate professor of kinesiology in Penn State's College of Health and Human Development, is a national expert on sports and culture and the history and impact of the Olympic Games. The writer and editor of numerous articles and books on the Olympics, his author credits include "Making the American Team: Sport, Culture and the Olympic Experience," and "Crafting Patriotism: America at the Olympic Games." His most recent work includes co-editing and contributing an article to 2009's "Olympic Legacies: Intended and Unintended." In this Q&A, Dyreson discusses perceptions and popularity of the Winter Olympics, the "Californication" of the games, impacts on host cities and what makes a memorable moment.

For many people who celebrate the Christmas holiday, one of the traditions of the season is finding the family tree. Whether the hunt for the right one takes place on a Christmas tree farm or nursery or at a tree stand in the city, everyone is looking for the perfect tree. Ricky Bates, Penn State associate professor of ornamental horticulture, has had a lifelong interest in plant production. His research at Penn State examines real-world problems faced by the nursery and Christmas tree industries, and he conducts education and research programs aimed at improving the profitability of these businesses. Here he shares some of his knowledge of these trees.

Across the nation, more stories are surfacing about people owing more money than their houses are worth. The real estate market is still in a turmoil and even people with good credit histories are having financial problems. How could this be? From the mid-1990s until 2006, housing prices increased dramatically in parts of the United States including Southern California, Florida, Phoenix and Las Vegas. The rest of the country also experienced increases but not to the same extent. In 2006 sales slowed down and prices began to decline -- substantially in some markets.

Farnoosh Torabi, a 2002 Penn State alumna in finance and international business and author of "You're So Money: Live Rich Even When You're Not," recently answered questions about her book and her philosophy about living well without living beyond your means. She also talked about how Penn State influenced her career and offered advice to Penn State students.

April showers supposedly bring May flowers. But what will spring bring this year, after what seemed to be an unusually wet winter? Paul Knight, Pennsylvania state climatologist and manager of Penn State Weather Communications Group, differentiates past winters to the most recent and discusses how this may impact the spring and summer weather.

Farmer's market season is just around the corner. However, those looking forward to buying fresh local vegetables may have to wait just a little bit longer this year. Micheal Orzolek, professor of vegetable crops and horticulture and director of the Center for Plasticulture, explains how last winter's weather may affect this year's vegetable crops.

It's almost here. The day that most employed Americans dread: April 15. Commonly known as tax day, it has been an annual event since 1913 when the 16th Amendment was ratified. Charles Enis, associate professor of accounting at Penn State's Smeal College of Business, offers advice for those who have not yet filed their tax returns.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is far from the first woman to seek the nation's highest office. From Margaret Chase Smith to Elizabeth Dole to Carol Moseley Braun, a few notable women have run for president during the past 45 years. But until now, none had ever built the momentum to be a party's frontrunner. Nichola D. Gutgold, associate professor of communication arts and sciences at Penn State's Lehigh Valley campus and an expert in campaign and political speechmaking, has studied the lives, communication styles and presidential bids of women candidates, as well as the rise of Clinton. In her book "Paving the Way for Madam President" (Lexington Books), Gutgold explains how these women who have run for the office set the stage for future women to run. In 2005, Gutgold co-authored the book "Elizabeth Hanford Dole: Speaking from the Heart," which cited the former senator and presidential candidate as a groundbreaking candidate who smashed stereotypes and laid the groundwork for a future woman president. Now, she says, Hillary Clinton is on new footing. While women seemingly no longer face as difficult a time in reaching higher offices, Gutgold explains what's different about Clinton's campaign from her predecessors.

Global oil prices have already begun to climb following BP's announcement earlier this week that it would need to shut down its Prudhoe Bay oil field in Alaska -- responsible for about 8 percent of U.S. production -- due to severe corrosion on a pipeline there. Andrew Kleit, Penn State professor of energy and environmental economics, explains what that means at the gas pump and beyond.

As midsummer temperatures spike and sun and humidity make being outdoors uncomfortably warm, people may notice wilting flower leaves and be reminded to water their plants. However, hydrating yourself is even more important, even if you don't feel thirsty. Larry Kenney, professor of physiology and kinesiology and an expert on the impact of hot weather and dehydration on people, offers some important facts and reminders about avoiding dehydration. "I think a lot of people have been dehydrated at one time in their lives, so they have a feel for what those signs or symptoms are," he says. "People feel lethargic or get a dull, persistent headache. Other people feel a slight nausea or dizziness. Any time you feel more severe symptoms than that, especially during activity in the heat, like goosebumps, a severe headache, vomiting -- those are signs of more severe heat illness, and those people really need to get out of the heat and be treated."

With "Superman Returns" having hit theaters on Wednesday (June 28), Hollywood has offered up the latest incarnation of a character that has long been ingrained in American pop culture. "It's an amazing cultural phenomenon," says Patrick Trimble, a Penn State instructor of integrative arts, an academic department at Penn State that allows students in the integrative arts major to focus their academic interests on themes that exist outside of or across discplines of other majors at Penn State. Trimble teaches a course on popular media arts in which he spends several weeks discussing comic books, including lectures on Superman. He explains that a great part of what has made Superman part of the American consciousness is the character's history and values and his tendency to change with the times.

Next Tuesday Americans everywhere will celebrate the Fourth of July, or Independence Day, marking the American Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. With 230 years separating us from that historic moment, time has carried on both facts and legends about that day, while other information has failed to become part of the American consciousness. William Pencak, Penn State professor of American history who specializes in early American history to 1815, explains some well-known and lesser-known facts and myths about July 4, 1776. In fact, Pencak says, the Declaration of Independence was actually made on July 2, only to be read to the public on July 4, which is why John Adams wrote at the time that July 2, 1776 would be the most memorable day in American history. "The only person who signed it on July 4 was actually John Hancock," Pencak added. "The rest of them signed it later. There was no big ceremony to sign it like people sometimes think. They basically just laid it on a desk and people signed it when they felt like it."

Next Sunday (Feb. 4) millions of men and women will celebrate the culmination of the NFL season by watching the Super Bowl battle between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks. Undoubtedly, however, few of those men will consider what role the Super Bowl and football play in defining "manliness" for modern American men.
Simon Bronner, distinguished professor of American studies and folklore at Penn State Harrisburg, says the game is the most prominent display of American "manliness" today. Bronner, the writer and editor of numerous tomes on folklore, is the author of "Manly Traditions: The Folk Roots of American Masculinity," which was published in November by Indiana University Press. He explains how this American pastime works in defining "manliness," and the traditions and folklore on which the game draws to define the game itself as "manly."

To the Point: Penn State professor on effects of Alaska oil field shutdown
Wednesday, August 9, 2006
Global oil prices have already begun to climb following BP's announcement earlier this week that it would need to shut down its Prudhoe Bay oil field in Alaska -- responsible for about 8 percent of U.S. production -- due to severe corrosion on a pipeline there.